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Talk:Tonya Payne
District 6 candidates pledge to stop infighting City Council District 6 (Hill District, North Side) candidates Mark Brentley and Robert Daniel Lavelle have accused incumbent Councilwoman Tonya Payne of participating in political infighting so extreme it has cost her constituents valuable opportunities. Despite these accusations the two candidates began a battle of their own at a forum hosted by the African American Chamber of Commerce. Payne attended the reception prior to the forum, but left before it began. ROBERT LAVELLE “All of the divisiveness he’s talking about is exactly what he’s done on the school board,” Lavelle said about Brentley. Lavelle’s remarks came late in the April 23rd forum after Brentley had spent much of his time calling for a halt to the infighting of not only the representatives, but between the North Side and the Hill District. He said Payne has fueled this battle by showing more support for the Hill District and at times ignoring the North Side. Prior to their disagreement, the two candidates seemed to agree on several issues, especially those relating to minority and female inclusion. Both pledged to use their seat to ensure requirements are met. Brentley took it a step further saying he would funnel money directly into the hands of African-Americans. “We’ve watched money come through. We’ve watched how important it is,” Brentley said. “There are monies and dollars that as a public official you can direct.” Both candidates said school reform should also be a top priority. They said the Pittsburgh Promise is a good program, but outside factors such as crime will keep students from taking advantage of it. MARK BRENTLEY “What good is a program that provides money for college when kids aren’t graduating from high school?” Lavelle said. Brentley said although the majority of students in the Pittsburgh Public School District are African-American, this is the demographic experiencing the most neglect. He also expressed his disapproval of the job being done by Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and said many of Roosevelt’s programs have been largely ineffective. Lavelle discussed the problem of decreased population and said the city could remedy this by investing in workforce development and building more restaurants and businesses directly in the communities. He also said it was important to get property and land back on to the tax rolls. District 8 (East End) Councilman Bill Peduto also participated in the forum even though he is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. He addressed similar issues and showed how he has helped gain resources in his community through the use of community benefits agreements. “We have to give people an opportunity to have a say in the places they live,” Peduto said. Peduto also addressed the city’s tax system, saying it is the same as it was in the 1930s. In order to increase resources and growth in Pittsburgh, he suggested a system where people pay taxes where they work. The forum was moderated by New Pittsburgh Courier Editor and Publisher Rod Doss and hosted by AACC President Doris Carson Williams. Carson said her organization has been dedicated to hosting these forums over the years because of the importance of educating voters.